1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven including a component chamber having a magnetron and high voltage transformers, and more particularly, a microwave oven including the component chamber having high voltage transformers disposed in a space formed in the top of a cooking chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Installation of a wall-mounted microwave oven has been proposed for a gas range for functioning as a hood. Typically, the wall-mounted microwave oven includes a cooking chamber, a component chamber formed in a side portion of the wall-mounted oven, an inlet formed on the bottom of the wall-mounted oven, an outlet formed on a top potion of the wall-mounted oven, and a duct disposed in the side portion to couple the inlet to the outlet. Since the wall-mounted oven is mounted over the gas range, the air generated from and heated by the gas range is blown into the duct through the inlet and discharged outside of the wall-mounted microwave oven through the outlet.
For example, FIG. 1 shows a conventional microwave oven mounted over the gas range. The microwave oven includes a main body and a casing. The main body includes a cooking chamber, a control panel, and a component chamber. The casing enclosing the main body includes an upper casing 101 and a lower casing 103 assembled to the upper casing 101.
The lower casing 103 has a pair of suction ports 119 for drawing in heated air generated from a gas range located below the microwave oven. The upper casing 101 has a discharge port 117 discharging out the heated air drawn into a space between the upper casing and the main body through the suction ports 119. Below the discharge port 117 is installed a hood fan 121 for discharging out the heated air drawn from the suction ports 119 through the discharge port 117.
Between the upper casing 101 and the lower casing 103 is installed a body 105 having a cooking chamber 107. The space is formed between the upper casing 101 and the body 105. In the body 105 is installed a partition 118 having a shape of "{character pullout}" with a space being formed between the body 105 and sidewalls of the cooking chamber 107. A second space formed between the upper casing 101 and the top of the body 105 is separated into two parts by an auxiliary partition 181. On the top area between the upper casing 101 and the body 105 is installed a grill member 123 along the horizontal direction of a door 111.
On the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 are formed a number of air inlet holes 108 which communicate with a space formed between the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 and the partition 118. On the top plate of the cooking chamber 107 are formed a number of air outlet holes 109 which communicate with the space formed between the upper casing 101 and the body 105. A tray 116 is provided within the cooking chamber 107. In the front of the cooking chamber 107 is installed the door 111 for opening and closing the cooking chamber 107. In the right area of the door 111 is installed a control panel 113 having a number of buttons for operating the microwave oven.
Beside the air inlet holes 108 formed on the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 is formed a shield bracket 189 having a L shape for shielding the air inlet holes 108. On the top plate of the cooking chamber 107 are formed a flange part 187 having a number of elongated holes 188. The flange part 187 located behind the control panel 113, and an isolating bracket 183 isolating the flange part 187 from the second space between the upper casing 110 and the top plate of the body 105.
In the microwave oven with this configuration, a variety of components are positioned in the space formed between the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 and the body casing 105 and located behind the control panel 113. That is, a high-voltage transformer 131, a low-voltage transformer 190, a high-voltage condenser 163 are installed on the bottom plate of the body 105 whereas a magnetron 153 is installed adjacent to the air inlet holes 108 of the cooking chamber 107. In addition, a fan 125 supported by a support bracket 185 is slantly positioned between the magnetron 153 and the back side of the body casing 105.
In the microwave oven, cooling of the components such as high-voltage transformer 131 and removal of fumes generated within the cooking chamber 107 during cooking are carried out by the following processes. Outdoor air is drawn in through the grill member 123 and guided into the bottom part of the space formed between the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 and the body casing 105 through the elongated holes 188 formed in the flange part 187. The air guided into the bottom part of the space between the right sidewall of the cooking chamber 107 and the body 105, cools the high-voltage condenser 163, the low-voltage transformer 190, and the high-voltage transformer 131 in sequence. Thereafter, the air is blown into the cooking chamber through the air inlet holes 108 by the fan 125 after cooling the magnetron 153.
A large part of the air blown by the fan 125 passes through the air inlet holes 108, the inside of the cooking chamber 107, and the air outlet holes 109 sequentially, and is then discharged outside through the grill member 123. The remaining of the air passes a space between the auxiliary partition 181 and the bracket 183 and is then discharged outside through the grill member 123.
The component chamber including a magnetron and a plurality of high voltage transformers is located in the side portion and adjacent to the duct through which the air containing fumes and smoke passes. If the duct is not sealed, the fumes and smoke may blow into the component chamber and damage the components. Moreover, since the components and the duct are located in the same side portion of the oven, the cooking chamber can not be enlarged. The size of the cooking chamber is relatively small in comparison with the whole size of the oven. Furthermore, a passage of outdoor air drawn from outside of the oven into the component chamber is too complicated to efficiently cool the components located in the component chamber. It is difficult to efficiently discharge the heat generated from the components, such as a high-voltage transformer, outside of the oven.